Hu Yang has beams with positivity, and that warmth is reflected in all his work.

But as a child, Hu was raised to be quiet and reserved. “I often stayed alone seeking peace of mind, but I never felt isolated,” he says. His decision to pursue art was largely practical: artists have plenty of time to spend on painting, he says.

Hu persevered and became a professional artist. Today he draws under the sunlight – using outdoor painting to release stress – and spends his afternoons devoted to the craft.

“Art combines an artist’s feelings, experiences and inner cultivation. It’s a reflection of the artist himself,” he says.

Most of Hu’s work is focused on nature, but reinterpreted according to his own vision. “The images might not show things as they are, but I choose to depict the beauty of each subject,” he says.

The series Pilot Tony features reflections of himself. The name “Tony” is Hu’s English name, and the white bear represents himself. “Each picture contains a story,” Hu says, “The white bear Tony is a pilot, and he crashes his plane into a storm. He is on a mission and he will experience many interesting things in life.”

Hu has been described as a sunshine boy, not only because of his sensitivity, but also because his heart is filled with love.

A special series called, Grandma’s Daily Life, presents the love and cars of his grandmother. “This series is about my grandma. I spent time with her during the holidays and recorded her life. Those observations showed me many details we miss in life,” he says.

He describes how his grandmother used lessons from dairy farming to bridge the gap in their thinking and bring together their generations. Her openness combined with Hu’s curiosity to inspire him to create more works from his life.

Trip in Taiwan is one of his introspective pieces. The images record elements that inspired him to draw and record memories.

His series Catwalk219 is a similar collection. “It was similar in style with Trip in Taiwan, but I focus on cats rather than views.” He said he painted the cats mainly because he was moved by their owner. “The owner was the store manager of Hutong Cat Village, a coffee shop in New Taipei. He took in those homeless cats and raised them with care,” he says.

That left a deep impression on Hu’s heart. “Animals and humans share same planet, and we should have equal rights,” he says. “Those works don’t truly represent me, but they do mirror my feelings,” Hu says.

He continues to focus on more ways to see the world with a soft heart.

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